French Bistro Wedding

This French bistro wedding is classy and inspirational. We love the ivory centrepiece amidst the white place settings with black place cards on the bistro tables. A mix of modern and elegant is presented beautifully!

Colour Palettes for a French Bistro Wedding

Finalising your wedding colours as soon as you begin planning your wedding is a great idea as it lays the foundation for you to make decisions based on it. If you are a person who is keen on having a classic and chic wedding, then one of the best colour combinations to consider is black and white. It is so bold and always in fashion in every season that you will not ever feel out of trend with it.

Besides that, another perk of having a black and white themed wedding is that you can dilute it with a variety of other colours like silver, red, peach, gold, burgundy, and overall, any colour to enhance your wedding theme. It is a simple and easy option with a limited number of shades so you will not have to worry about going off-track with your venue choices or venue decor.

Wedding Invitations for a French Bistro Wedding

A black and white French bistro theme should not only be limited to your wedding venue but also looks spectacular if it is carried throughout every aspect of your wedding. Wedding invitations are a great way to reflect your wedding theme. And choosing font styles and card designs can be fun. If you are considering having a vintage-style wedding, go for plain black envelopes and white/gold calligraphy on soft ivory or white wedding invitations.

This couple went for pretty floral stamps on the envelope and also wrote the guests' names as well as the wedding date in white calligraphy on the back of the black envelope. So chic! If you want to opt for other options, you can add a luxurious, velvety touch to your wedding card by adding a wax black or gold seal or by using accents of your favourite colours, other than black and white.


Bouquets and Boutonnieres for a French Bistro Wedding

It will be hard to find a classier bouquet for the bride other than a bunch of white roses paired up with some green foliage and tied with a black and white striped ribbon that matches well with the bistro theme. White wedding bouquets are traditional yet extremely unique in their beauty. You can accessorise your bouquet however you like by adding berries or other pop colour blooms.

You can also add a bold ribbon that will make your bouquet look all the more elegant. If you want to go for a black and white flower bouquet then look for black roses, rare to find but will look exceptionally stunning with a combination of white and green.


Wedding Cake Ideas for a French Bistro Wedding

Since we are talking about a bistro wedding, one thing that must always be aligned with the wedding theme is the wedding cake itself. Go for an all-black cake topped with white dried flowers. Or maybe you could add strokes of white and gold for a whimsical creation; simple yet so very elegant!

And if you want to match the cake with the bride's outfit, you can also choose a five-tiered classic white cake with a black and white striped ribbon wrapped around the bottom of every tier, just like the one tying up the bridal bouquet. It will not only match this indoor wedding venue and decoration but also look effortlessly sophisticated.

Reception Decor for a French Bistro Wedding

A black and white themed reception decor can be super classy if it is organised with a creative spirit. You have a lot of options to choose from like polka dots, black and white stripes, or gilded accents to make your venue look as modern as you like. Add hints of flowers here and there but stick to the theme of the wedding just like our lovely bride did!

This is an indoor wedding venue in rustic and matte shades, decorated with a minimal floral arrangement and natural bistro lights. The finishing of the entire space is timeless and the cost-effective wall decoration backdrop is awesome for an intimate reception.

Table Setting Style for a French Bistro Wedding

The table decor for the bistro can range from simple and minimalistic to all-out modern and luxurious. If you love a minimalistic look, consider sticking to black, white, and green tastefully added. However, if you want your table decor to be more on the luxurious side, then try to strike a balance between black, white, and gold to give you a royal ambience.

For this wedding, there are two reception tables; indoor and outdoor, and both of them are decorated in their own unique way. For the indoor table setting, they have gone for a simple look with plain white tables and black chairs. A mix of both these colours, grey, can be seen on the table in the form of tall, slender candles. A huge floral bouquet composed of white roses is sitting in the centre of the table to attract maximum attention, and black guest tags accompany them.

For the outdoor table setting, a rustic, wooden table has been utilised with a simple black ribbon used as a tablescape and white dinner plates with metallic cutlery and black and white striped napkins knotted beautifully in a neat bow. A combination of tall and floating candles alongside cute floral decorations can be seen adorning the table.


Wedding Dresses and Accessories for a French Bistro Wedding

A traditional way to carry out a black and white themed wedding is that one person wears white while the other one wears black. Our bride has gone for a completely white wedding dress with hints of shine in it. It is a full-length, sleeveless, figure-hugging dress perfect for the French-themed bistro affair.

But that's not the only way you could style a dress for your wedding. You can have a mix of both these colours with stylish black and white lace dress to look magnificent on your big day! If you want to accentuate black and white attires, then incorporate colours such as grey ombre or silver. Add some accessories like studs, floral hairpins, or neck chains to add sparkle to the overall look in glittery silver or gold!

Food for a French Bistro Wedding

A French wedding reception dinner usually starts with a light cocktail served to the guests. You can set up a station for finger foods, in the meantime, so that your guests can munch on something light. After that, you can move toward the reception dinner. It can either be live cooking stations, reflecting the French culture, or if you are having a sit-down dinner like in this wedding inspiration, you can have a sit-down affair.

For the dessert, go for the glorious wedding cake to cut some of your expenses. Or you can choose to have a mini dessert bar where you can serve bite-sized sweet goodies!

What to Look for in a Venue for a French Bistro Wedding

If you are looking for a wedding venue with a little more personality than a typical ballroom, opting for an indoor restaurant is a great pick! Celebrating your big day with your guests at a spot known for its cuisine is a guaranteed way to have a wonderful time. Plus, a bistro wedding is also suitable if you wish to have a smaller and more intimate wedding reception.

Make sure that you properly plan out the size and space according to the number of guests attending your reception. And if you want to get grooving after dinner then make sure to leave out some space for the dance floor. This couple has also made use of the restaurant's terrace space.

Wedding Photography for a French Bistro Wedding

This lovely bride went for both, indoor and outdoor, wedding photoshoots. With natural light, minimal decor, and aesthetic camera angles, the pictures turned out to be stunning! The wall decor provided a fantastic backdrop.

All of these pictures are captured in a portrait style but the traditional black and white portrait matches the true vibe of this amazing wedding. The photographer made excellent use of colourful cocktail glasses as well as beautifully crafted indoor walls that made the best backgrounds! We love how these solos look so stylish and chic.

How to Style a Bistro Wedding Reception

Bistro weddings are chic and trendy, if styled right. Today’s inspiration shoot from Everest Road Photography hits the nail on the head when it comes to styling. Inspired by the venue, Ellen of Westcott Weddings created a modern look that still harkens back to the bistro’s beginnings in Paris.

BISTRO RECEPTION STYLING TIPS:

Be inspired your venue – match the colours and style.
Create and use distinct spaces throughout the space – delegate certain areas for certain purposes and have guests move throughout. It will provide flow, create community, and make the event seem like it’s in a bigger space than it is.

Provide for intimate dining – bistro dining is ‘close dining’ – it’s slow cooked food and long conversations. Design your telescopes so they’re overflowing with fun details, but not so high that you can’t carry on a conversation with the person across from you.

Mix modern with vintage – combine the history of the bistro with your modern aesthetic.
Customize the experience – since bistro wedding receptions are generally smaller and provide for intimate dining spaces – customize your guests’ experience with thoughtful details of each place setting.

From Ellen of Westcott Weddings – “Arro is a chic new restaurant (a modern French bistro) that recently opened in downtown Austin and it has such a great vibe. The design of the restaurant inspired our resulting design for the whole shoot.

The space is a combination of rustic and elegant, and the finishes are timeless (check out that gorgeous brass-topped bar). It would be the perfect backdrop for an intimate reception and that’s what we wanted to show.”

“There are two distinct spaces in the bistro: the main dining room and an adjoining outdoor terrace. Using a classic colour palette of black, white, gold and green – we created two different spring tables, one to feature in each space. We wanted to show that sophisticated and glamorous can still feel comfy, just like an amazing bistro dinner with friends that you never want to leave!

We played with a mix of vintage and modern elements to create telescopes that felt authentic to the space. Inside, we went a bit more glam, and then outside, we featured a more low-key, cost-effective, and easy-to-DIY way to create the same look.”

Credits: Photography: Everest Road // Design, Styling, & Coordination: Westcott Weddings // Floral Design: Little Yellow Flower Design // Rentals: Marquee Rents // Napkins: West Elm // Wedding Dress & Jewelry: Rent The Runway // Makeup: Avery Allen // Hair: Simply Mandy // Invitations & Menus: Mint & Maple Designs // Venue: Arro in downtown Austin, Texas.